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Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Inspired by Nsibidi, an African indigenous system of writing that uses symbols, signs and codes to convey concepts, Victor Ekpuk reduces forms to codes and symbols that express the human condition. In his compositions, the use of arcane signs and invented pseudo-writings often evoke the idea of writing, where legibility and illegibility are metaphors. Through slide presentations, Victor Ekpuk will discuss his process and his current work.

Victor Ekpuk, a Washington DC based artist, was born in Nigeria. He received a bachelor of Fine Art at the University of Ife, Nigeria in 1989. His works are shown widely and are in such collections as Smithsonian National Museum of African Art, The World Bank and Newark Museum.

Please confirm your attendance of the event by registering here. Once your attendance is confirmed, you will receive an invitation letter which you will need to apply for a Nigerian Visa. You will also receive the events hospitality pack which will detail accommodation and flight details.

In a context of multiple initiatives across the continent, Africa 2.0 young emerging leaders (more than 40 African nationalities represented) aim to impulse greater coordination and cross fertilize knowledge/know-how by ?Gathering a Coalition for the sustained Transformation? to Design and Implement Solutions Together.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

After Ladi Kwali, Danlami was the best modern potter in
Nigeria. He learned at the Pottery Training Centre set up by Michael Cardew in
Abuja. He was good, so I asked Michael if he would take him on at Wenford
(Cardew’s own workshop in the UK). He did. He thought Danlami was outstanding
and arranged for the pots he made there to have a show at the Commonwealth
Institute, London.

It was well reviewed in 'Crafts' (Another UK journal for
Potters). After Wenford, Danlami went to Farnham College to learn about kiln-building.
In the Thesis he wrote at the end of his course, he compared the pottery made
at the Training Centre with the pots his mother used to buy locally. This
thesis was published whole in ‘Pottery Quarterly’. Out of respect for Michael
he gave it to him in person.

On the train to Cornwall, Michael's wife Mariel read it and
was so moved by it tears ran down her cheeks, charmed by his simple way of
writing and the Africanisms which made it so vivid. Michael read it and was
silent. A comment made by Danlami in a spirit of humility, not of criticism,
devastated Cardew: “too complicated for us" is what Danlami wrote of the
Centre.

The Training Centre and the fifteen happiest years of
Cardews life that he had spent setting it up, were deemed a failure. “Too
complicated", those two words haunted me too and fundamentally changed the
way I taught when I returned to Nigeria.

By this time, fifteen years after Cardew left, the Abuja
training centre was in decline. After a further six years Danlami, having been
overseas and now understanding it's significance, together with Umaru his
brother and myself, decided to do something about it. We built a new pottery at
Maraba, modelled on the original one at Abuja, hoping to recapture the
extraordinary spirit it had while Michael was there. It was successful. Danlami
stayed longer than I did and gave it a sound basis which enabled it to expand
and last twenty years after he left. To this day there are more good throwers
(potters) in Maraba than in the rest of Nigeria.

The other things Danlami did there would be of little
interest here, except his ‘regiment’ as he called them, - his fifteen children!
To spend a day in his compound was a pleasure, the younger ones were beguiling
and so well behaved with inquisitive little faces, the adolescents graceful and
friendly.

Danlami is well remembered in the UK when he was a student.
He was young and handsome, a joker, popular with everybody.

In Minna, as news of his death spread, crowds filled his
compound. People from all walks of life from top civil servants (the Governor
sent a representative) to poor potters who - came from Maraba two hundred miles
away. He was very well liked and it was a great tribute, but how sad he has
gone, he was only 59. What a pity so little of his brush decoration has been
seen (and valued). He saw Cardew’s work but his is different. It is so skilful
that it is surprising it shows no trace of showmanship, instead it is simple,
not the simplicity achieved by minimalism, but by a simplicity of spirit which
sings as pure and as natural as a bird's song. Michael Cardew thought him
outstanding and so he was.This
obituary was written by Micheal O’Brien for ‘Ceramic Review’, a UK Journal for
Potters.

Friday, May 04, 2012

My client, School for Startups, is seeking to assemble a
local team to support their School for Startups Programme in Nigeria. The
project team will include a Programme Director, Programme Coordinator,
programme Assistant and 30 Monitors. They will all be based in Nigeria.

School for Startups have been invited by Federal Ministry of
Finance, Nigeria and UK Department for International Development (DFID) to
support The Youth Enterprise with Innovation in Nigeria (You WIN!). The core
component of You WIN! is a Business Plan Competition through which 1,200
winners have been selected. The winning entries are a mix of start-ups and
existing enterprises that are looking to expand.

School for Startups will run a year long programme for the
1,200 Business Plan Competition winners across six geopolitical zones of
Nigeria. The programme will include intensive training programme of ‘boot
camps’ and e-learning support provided to build business skills. The year long
programme will end with an Awards Ceremony in Nigeria.

School for Startups is a leading provider of business
training for entrepreneurs and small businesses. Since 2008, School for
Startups has trained more than 12,000 entrepreneurs in face to face and online
classes. For further information about School for Startups and its programmes
is attached.

I would welcome your support in helping me to identify
suitable candidates for the post for Programme Director, Programme Co-ordinator,
Programme Assistant and Independent Monitors for the programme.

Please find attached brief job description together with
project background information. At this stage I would like to gather CV’s of
the potential candidates together with their contact details. The full list
will be reviewed with School for Startups followed by an interview via Skype or
face to face in Nigeria. We hope to make the final appointments by the end of
May.

We are working to a tight schedule. I would appreciate if
you can please let me have any suggestions by Monday 7th May. We will review
all the candidates’ week of 7th May; select and interview week 14th May and
appoint by week 21st May.